​​"The Truth, the Whole Truth, and Nothing But the Truth" (part 1)

Introduction. It is one of the foundations of most judicial systems – trial by jury. In courtrooms around the country, people come before the bar of justice with conflicting claims. Witnesses are called forward and sworn in, often admonished to tell "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth". Defense and prosecuting attorneys ask questions and make various points about laws they believe apply to the case.

If you have been on a jury, you understand the gravity of the situation. Consequences are often high with property, reputations, freedom, and even lives hanging in the balance. It is your responsibility to carefully discern the truth from conflicting testimony and render a just decision.

What is said about a court of law could be said even more so about the "court of religion". You will hear lots of conflicting testimony by alleged religious experts and lots of conflicting assertions on what the Bible says. You have to discern the truth in order to obey it and be pleasing to God. Hence, the consequences are enormous - souls hang in the balance! How will you decide what is right and what is wrong?

Wealth and Fame? A well-dressed man approaches the witness stand. It is clear he is wealthy and successful, perhaps even famous. So he must be telling the truth, right? The next witness couldn't be more of a contrast. Obviously poor with clothing from a second-hand store, he looks like a nobody. Surely, his testimony can't really be trusted since he's probably just trying to make a quick buck, right?

Numerous scriptures warn about misjudging people because of their material wealth (or lack thereof). Consider:

- Lev. 19:15 "You shall do no injustice in judgment. You shall not be partial to the poor, nor honor the person of the mighty. In righteousness you shall judge your neighbor." - James 2:1-4 "My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or, “Sit here at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?"

But how does this apply in the "court of religion"? Some people directly associate physical riches with being righteous. Obviously, those who have been blessed by God must be trustworthy when they speak about religious matters, right? And obviously those who are poor can't speak about God's truth since they haven't been pleasing to God and been blessed by God, right? As James goes on to observe: - James 2:5-7 "Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him? But you have dishonored the poor man. Do not the rich oppress you and drag you into the courts? Do they not blaspheme that noble name by which you are called?"

Simply speaking, you can't judge the religious testimony of people based on their wealth/fame or lack thereof.

Education? The next witness appears to be highly educated, perhaps a college professor or some other degreed professional. A polished speaker, his testimony must be trustworthy, right? In stark contrast, the next witness is a person who obviously is not very educated, uses poor English, and likely never graduated from High School. While he seems like a nice person, obviously what he says should not have trustworthiness equal to the college professor's, right?

- Isa. 55:8-9 "“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the LORD. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts." - 1 Cor. 1:18-27 "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;"

But how does this apply in the "court of religion"? Too many people blindly accept a person's interpretation of the scriptures just because he is a graduate from a "Bible College", has multiple "divinity" degrees, or is a well-educated eloquent speaker. As Paul goes on to say in 1 Corinthians:

- 1 Cor. 2:1-5 "And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. … And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

Simply speaking, you can't judge the religious testimony of people based on their education/speaking ability or lack thereof.

Official Position? Some of the witnesses called before you and the other jurors to testify include police officers, fireman, and other public officials. Of course, so are common citizens. When their testimony conflicts, obviously those in official positions of authority merit more trust than common citizens, right?

- Matt. 15:12-14 "Then His disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this saying?” But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted. “Let them alone. They are blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind leads the blind, both will fall into a ditch.” - Acts 20:29-30 "For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock. Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves." - 2 Tim. 4:3-4 "For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables."

In the "court of religion", too many people in the so-called "laity" blindly follow what their "ordained" priest, pastor, preacher, or "reverend" says about the Bible. The same could be said for blindly following what previous religious officials said about the Bible in various official church councils and creeds (Apostles' Creed, Nicene Creed, The Anglican Catechism, The Methodist Confession of Faith, etc.)

Conclusion. In this part of our study, we have seen how we as "jurors" in the "court of religion" can't blindly accept the testimony of people just because of their wealth, fame, education, or official position. We have to search the scriptures and study to determine religious truth (Acts 17:11; 2 Tim. 2:15).

Bible Questions is a work of the Holly Street church of Christ in Denver, CO. Copyright (c) 2018 Holly Street church of Christ. All material within the website may be freely distributed for non-commercial uses by including a reference to the website.